England Effort Leaves Tetchy Third Test In Balance

Third Rothesay Test, Lord's (day 3 of five)

England 387: Root 104, Carse 56, Smith 51; Bumrah 5-74 & 2-0

India 387: Rahul 100, Pant 74, Jadeja 72; Woakes 3-84

England lead by 2 runs

Scorecard

England's tireless efforts were yet rewarded to time off a tetchy 3rd Test against India hanging successful nan equilibrium aft 3 days astatine Lord's.

In sweltering conditions, England took nan past 4 India wickets for 11 runs to disregard nan visitors for 387, meaning nan scores were level connected first innings.

The location broadside looked group to beryllium defied by Ravindra Jadeja, but aft he was caught down nan limb broadside by Chris Woakes for 72, England surged.

Woakes, truthful prolific connected this ground, ended pinch 3 wickets, while Jofra Archer's gait deserved much than nan 2-52 he claimed connected Test comeback.

In nan lengthening shadows, Zak Crawley utilized immoderate imaginative time-wasting strategies to guarantee England faced only 1 over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. Tempers flared, England closed 2-0.

Earlier, opener KL Rahul completed a controlled 100 and Rishabh Pant made 74, while Jadeja shared vitals stands of 72 pinch Nitish Kumar Reddy and 50 pinch Washington Sundar.

As usual, England recovered inspiration from skipper Ben Stokes. Stokes produced a stunning nonstop deed to tally retired Pant and, successful a tireless spell aft tea, recovered nan venom to person Reddy caught behind.

Crucially, England had already missed 3 opportunities to tally retired Reddy and 1 to disregard Jadeja.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir spent a prolonged play disconnected nan section pinch an wounded to his near small finger.

It is not his bowling hand, truthful he should beryllium fresh for nan 4th innings, erstwhile he would beryllium important successful a imaginable England push for victory.

This has been a funny Test, often characterised by a slow pitch, slow scoring and a slow over-rate.

The trench warfare has occasionally been interrupted by flashes of brilliance. On Saturday these came from Pant, Archer and Stokes. The words betwixt Crawley and nan India fielders successful nan dying moments provided nan drama, demonstrating nan precocious stakes of a tight crippled and level series.

The time looked to person been shaped by nan innings of Rahul and Jadeja, who separately but likewise crushed England down.

But, erstwhile more, nan Test sprung to life. If location was an constituent of luck successful Woakes having Jadeja strangled down nan limb side, England were ruthless successful taking nan last 4 wickets successful six overs.

Now, conscionable arsenic successful their second-Test conclusion astatine Edgbaston, England look an introspection of their philosophy. Whereas successful Birmingham Stokes' squad were not capable to bat for nan tie they position pinch specified disdain, now they person nan task of maneuvering themselves into a position from which they tin win.

How will nan location broadside measurement up nan clip needed to vessel retired India connected this transportation successful nan 2nd innings against nan target they are capable to set?

In specified gruelling conditions, connected specified a docile pitch, it is to England's in installments they maintained their power passim nan day.

Archer bowled immoderate accelerated spells successful nan day session, astatine 1 constituent going 15 consecutive deliveries complete 90mph, while Stokes bowled pinch akin hostility.

The captain's tally retired of Pant came from nothing. In nan last complete earlier lunch, Pant was attempting to springiness nan onslaught to Rahul, who was closing successful connected a century. Stokes, successful nan covers, swooped and threw off-balance astatine nan bowler's end, catching nan trundling Pant short of his ground.

England needed much of nan aforesaid successful nan afternoon. Bryson Carse missed a awkward astatine nan stumps erstwhile Jadeja was connected three, earlier Reddy's triple reprieve. Twice he could person been tally retired connected nought, Ollie Pope missing connected some occasions, past Ben Duckett was disconnected target erstwhile Reddy had 18.

The location broadside missed Bashir, who drew Rahul into an separator to slip. Jadeja, connected 23, belted 1 backmost connected nan full, nary much than a half-chance. Bashir instantly went for curen and spent half nan time disconnected nan field.

Woakes has a peerless grounds connected this ground, yet this slow transportation has hindered his effectiveness. The wicket of Jadeja owed overmuch to nan diving drawback of Jamie Smith, who has had a superb crippled down nan stumps.

Akash Deep edged Carse, pinch Harry Brook taking a crisp one-handed drawback astatine 2nd slip, Bumrah nicked Woakes down and Sundar skied Archer.

India's batters are torturing England successful this series. This is their 5th consecutive full successful excess of 350. From 145-3 overnight, 242 behind, India could person conceded a important first-innings lead, yet extremity nan time pinch nan chance to put England nether unit connected Sunday.

Rahul and Pant added 141 untroubled runs successful nan greeting convention earlier Pant engineered his ain downfall. The left-hander was fresh to bat aft suffering a digit wounded keeping wicket and, amid immoderate observant defence, played his trademark flips, slaps and scoops.

For Rahul, a faultless period made him only nan 4th overseas opener to make 2 tons connected this ground. It was a uncommon lapse successful attraction that resulted successful nan tame separator disconnected Bashir.

India were successful threat erstwhile Reddy joined Jadeja and, barroom nan chaotic running, nan all-rounders edged nan visitors towards parity. Reddy came done a nasty rustle to nan caput disconnected Stokes connected 23.

Jadeja completed his 3rd successive half-century and launched Joe Root's disconnected rotation down nan crushed for six. He appeared immovable, but nan leg-side tickle disconnected Woakes altered nan momentum erstwhile more.